AMG Review of 16 Most Requested Songs: Encore

JT Griffith
All Music Guide

This features more of Ray Conniff's biggest hits, including Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine" as well as "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face," "Besame Mucho," and "Seasons in the Sun." 16 Most Requested Songs: Encore offers another good overview of Ray Conniff's career. It includes a more standard selection of songs without some of Conniff's pop excursions (such as the Coke commercial "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" or the Barry Manilow hit "I Write the Songs"). Traditionalists may find this a strength; kitsch enthusiasts may consider it a detriment. Either way, it is a solid collection even more readily available than the first version. Another good introduction to Conniff.